CORNWALL’S Stephen Jensen narrowly missed out on securing the English Senior Men’s Amateur Stroke Play title as John Kemp retained his crown after an exhilarating three-way play-off on the Hotchkin Course at The National Golf Centre, Woodhall Spa.

Trevose’s Jensen battled it out with Kemp (Woburn Golf Club) and Scotland’s Kenneth Gallacher as they all finished on -1 overall to go to a play-off, and despite Kemp missing a three-footer to win with birdie on the first, he rolled his 40-foot eagle putt up to mere inches to seal victory on the second play-off hole (18).

Addington Palace’s Simon Crockett was the leader heading into the final day, and was going brilliantly until his first dropped shot on 13 after a wayward approach, before bogeys on 15 and 16.

Kemp (Woburn) bounced back from two early bogeys with birdies on 6, 9, 12 and 14 to propel himself back into contention.

Meanwhile in the group in front, Gallacher (East Kilbride) and last year’s English Amateur Championship winner Jensen were hot on their heels, and things got tense in the final few holes.

Both Crockett and Kemp hit the par-5 14th in two, where Crockett three-putted, as Kemp birdied to reduce the gap to one, and Gallacher up ahead birdied the 15th with Jensen birdieing 16.

Jensen and Gallacher then ramped up the pressure with birdies on 18, although Jensen came inches from holing his eagle putt.

Kemp found the bunkers twice on the 18th but made a great sand-save, while Crockett couldn’t get up-and-down from the bunker for a birdie to make it a four-man play-off.

Jensen’s brilliant final-round 70 (-3) and Gallacher and Kemp’s 72s (-1) saw the trio head down the first play-off hole, with Gallacher’s approach going long-right and Jensen and Kemp giving themselves great chances at birdie.

The Scot made a great up-and-down while Jensen’s 10-footer slid by, and with the crowd expecting Kemp to knock it in, he missed a three-footer.

They went down the 18th for the second play-off hole where Gallacher and Jensen found sand off the tee, allowing Kemp to hit a fairway-wood into the green for a simple birdie, making it back-to-back titles. He later paid tribute to the late England Golf senior men’s squad star Trevor Foster in his trophy acceptance speech.

Results: 1 Rosemary Mitchell – 41pts; 2 Simone Kennett – 35pts; 3 Julie Green – 34pts.

THE winners with 84 points on countback were John Mitchell, Pete Brown, David Barnes and Tony Eyre, while the day raised over £800 for Children’s Hospice South West.

THE Saints were beaten 4-2 on their own patch.

Results: 1 Wendy Kingdon – 33pts (c/b); 2 Cathy Mills – 33pts; 3 Liz Barnes – 32pts (c/b).

THE hosts secured a 3-1 success against their St Mellion counterparts.

THE entries raised over £500 for Cancer Research UK which did not include the proceeds from the raffle run on the day.

Nett: 1 Michael Weaver (Looe) – 63; 2 Jim Bowden – 66 (c/b); 3 Patrick Gribbin – 66 (c/b). Gross: 1 Dan Olver – 70; 2 Matt Knowles – 73; 3 Michael Weaver (Looe) – 75 (c/b).

WEST Cornwall retained the trophy despite losing 7-3 in the Clay Country.

They won the first leg 8-1 to ensure a 11-8 victory overall.

DESCRIBED as ‘not for the faint hearted’, we’re considering adding an additional letter B the Gribbin 10k.

When people ask why? We’ll tell them the three Bs stand for ‘brutal but beautiful’.

For that how was one of the Hayle Runners run leaders described the race held on Wednesday, May 28.

With approximately 330 metres – that’s 1,080 feet – of ascent, this was a race taking competitors to the very top – of their limits!

Steep climbs and a challenging terrain, saw 12 Hayle runners tackle coast path, tarmac, meadow and steps – those steps, those endless thigh-burning, soul searching steps.

First male for Hayle and first in his age category (M35-39), was Liam O’Neill who took fifth place overall.

Jon Eldon is proving almost unbeatable for yet another season, taking the top spot in the M60-64 age category. He was joined in the celebrations by Chunky Penhaul running straight to first place in the M75-79section.

Sadly, Yelda Müge Parsons twisted her ankle just moments after starting the race and had to pull out.

The 10K looped route started and finished at Menabilly House with glorious views. Perhaps a favourite was reaching the tower at Gribbin Head, followed by a run towards views of Fowey.

The race is one of the last of the calendar year for the Multi-Terrain Race Series with further events to come with just two more to go until the end of the current season.

The first of those is tonight (Wednesday, June 11) at the Bude Lifeboat Run, before next Wednesday night sees the Truro Trail 10K.

The first race of the new 12-race series for the 2025/26 season is the Tywardreath Trotter on July 26.

The Hayle Runners timings at the Gribbin 10K were as follows: Liam O’Neill – 41:58; Jon Eldon – 52:09; Andrew Searle – 55:48; Kelly Bills – 1:03:56; Susan Thomas – 1:10:12; Chunky Penhaul – 1:14:05; Emma Bowden – 1:19:43; Julie Frost – 1:22:01; Helen Cattran – 1:26:51; Melissa Tonkin – 1:39:48; Suzie Smith – 1:40:06; Jennie Massey – 1:40:07.

The overall winner of the race which is organised by St Austell Running Club was Newquay and Par AC’s Dylan Stevens in just 39 minutes and 28 seconds, one minute and 45 seconds clear of Oliver Oldfield (Tamar Trotters) in second.

Truro Running Club’s Tim Van Berkel was third overall, 41 seconds adrift of Oliver.

Tim’s club-mate Lucy Longbottom was the fastest female home in 47:38, nearly three minutes faster than Anne Matthews (Perran Trail Runners, 50:09) who took second from East Cornwall Harriers’ Helen Morse (50:25).

Truro also comfortably took the female prize ahead of Newquay Road Runners and St Austell Running Club, and secured a team double as they edged out St Austell Running Club by just a point. Perran Trail Runners were third.

The winners of the female age groups were: Female Under 35: Lucy Longbottom (Truro RC) – 47:38; F35-39: Helen Morse (East Cornwall Harriers) – 50:25; F40-44: Ellie Jameson (Perran Trail Runners) – 51:33; F45-49: Nat Dowling (St Austell RC) – 51:58; F50-54: Anne Matthews (Perran Trail Runners) – 50:09; F55-59: Gail Aspden (Truro RC) – 52:05; F60-64: Revis Crowle (East Cornwall Harriers) – 55:41; F65-69: Jacalyn Riddle (Bodmin RC) – 1:19:03; F70-74: Janet Watson (Carn Runners) – 1:16:49.

The men’s age group winners were: Male Under 35: Dylan Stevens (Newquay and Par AC) – 39:28; M35-39: Liam O’Neill (Hayle Runners) – 41:58; M40-44: Tim Van Berkel (Truro RC) – 40:54; M45-49: 1 Alex Marples (Truro RC) – 41:42; M50-54: Jonny Colaco (Newquay RR) – 43:13; M55-59: Colin Bathe (Perran Trail Runners) – 50:58; M60-64: Jon Eldon (Hayle Runners) – 52:09; M65-69: Peter Allen (Newquay RR) – 1:03:16; M70-74: Chris Bradish (unattached) – 1:02:29; M75-79: Chunky Penhaul (Hayle Runners) – 1:14:05.